Close on heels of recent reports which underlined that selective nomination of Inland Container Depots (ICDs) or off-docks and freight forwarders by global buyers were causing shipment delays, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), which is the apex garment makers’ body in Bangladesh, has called upon the global buyers to nominate more off-docks and shipping liners so as to ensure timely shipment of export containers.
Media reports maintained this adding BGMEA President Faruque Hassan made this request to apparel buyers, including H&M and M&S, other stakeholders including main-line operator (MLO) and buyers’ representatives, at a meeting held recently to deliberate on ways to address the container pile-up and issue of vessel shortages facing the apparel sector, which was attended amongst others by H&M’s Regional Country Manager for Bangladesh, Ziaur Rahman; Country Head of Marks and Spencer, Shwapna Bhowmick; Country Manager of Maersk, Angshuman Mitra Mustafi; BGMEA Vice President, Miran Ali; BGMEA Directors Asif Ashraf, Md. Mohiuddin Rubel, Abdullah Hil Rakib; former BGMEA Director Ashikur Rahman Tuhin; Director of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), Fazlee Shamim Ehsan and Chairman of Standing Committee on Port and Shipping, Hasan Abdullah.
At the meeting Faruque, reportedly, stated that currently apparel products laden export containers have had to face additional delays of 10-15 days at the Chittagong Port owing to selective nomination of shipping lines and off-docks by buyers even as he requested the apparel buyers to allow more off-docks and shipping liners so as to reduce pressure caused by selective shipping lines shipping apparel products.
Bharat Tex Special Report 2026 
